Someone I know is in danger

Has someone you know left their faith? If they’ve told you things that worry you about their safety, physical or emotional, there are a few things you can do and organisations you can contact.

Physical danger

One of the best source of advice of what you can do if you think your friend is at risk from honour based violence (HBV) is to check out HBV Awareness’s FAQ. They give great advice in relation to faith matters. Maybe point your friend to our “I’m in danger: honour violence” page where we’ve got more personal advice, as well a list of organisations they could contact.

Mental health

If you’ve noticed a change in your friend’s behaviour it may suggest their mental health may be suffering. Some things to look out for include:

Withdrawal from friends and activities

Extreme mood changes, highs and lows

Excessive feelings of guilt

Significant low energy problems or insomnia

Detached from reality and hallucinations

Alcohol or drug abuse

Self harm

Suicidal thinking

Excessive anger or hostility

Major changes in their eating habits

You can try and help your friend, relative or loved one by encouraging them to seek help from a doctor like a General Practitioner (GP) or if they are at University, seeking the University’s mental health wellbeing department. Their city may also have a community mental health team they can reach out to.

The person you know may refuse to see a doctor or counsellor. If this happens you can try to ask for help from professionals yourself, including contacting the GP or mental health wellbeing team yourself.

It is very important to also remember your own emotional wellbeing, try to bring in people who are experts in this area, and take care of yourself.